SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4

 NEWS: No new news has been reported as of this writing. A Blessed Wednesday to all!

 PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Barb and Gunti Galleisky. Prayer requests for Christian, his schooling, and that he finds happiness in his challenges. Barb asks prayers for her back issues, that she can find the proper care. Also, for the three other adult children, that they continue to be fulfilled in their lives. We remember Margaret Paton’s friend Bill, who had successful back surgery yesterday,

 READINGS: Psalm 84:1-4; Psalm 23; Exodus 34:29’35:21; Luke 7:36-50

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Victory”

Revelation 7:9-12 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

The book of Revelation is full of set pieces—bright images that are sort of like grand paintings, where you can stand there for hours and look and look and never see everything there is to see. In this particular image, we see victory. We see the end of all our suffering, and the triumph of Jesus our Savior. We are looking at Act V of the drama that begins with rebellion in the Garden of Eden and came to a climax when Jesus suffered and died on the cross.

And what do we say? We see people—millions and billions of people, all the people that Jesus ransomed from death with His own blood. And they are happy! They are wearing clean new clothes and waving palm branches around. They are shouting and celebrating. The great day has come, and all the powers of evil are dead and gone. God is the Victor—and all His people with Him.

But it’s not just the human beings who are celebrating. The angels are also celebrating. The elders are celebrating, whoever or whatever they may be. And the four living creatures before the throne are celebrating—creatures so strange that, if modern people saw them, they’d call them aliens.

All of creation is happy. All of creation is thankful and joyful and blessed—why? Because of what Jesus has done to save His creation. They say, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” It’s party time!

And we, too, can sing those words—even though we are still in the struggle, even though we are not quite at Act V of the drama of God’s salvation. Because we know it is coming. Jesus has already come to rescue us. He has suffered, he has died, and he has risen from the dead—so that all of us who trust in Him can be remade, brand-new creations of God. We will see it come to completion with our own eyes. Why not celebrate a little early?

WE PRAY: Dear Father, thank You for Your Son, our Savior! Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is your favorite celebration—a holiday? A birthday? Something else?

2. Have you ever started a celebration a little early? When and why?

3. What do you look forward to the most about God’s victory?

Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 23    Psalms 54    Psalms 63    Luke 22:47-71

To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” or “Download Linked File As”

 Luther’s Morning Prayer

In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ your dear son, that you have protected me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you completely. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

After singing a hymn or whatever else may serve your devotion, you can go about your day joyfully!

 Luther’s Evening Prayer

In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today, and I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

You can now go to bed quickly and cheerfully.

 OTHER RESOURCES:

 www.svlchurch.org

www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside

 Here is the website for Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/

 Lutheran Public Radio is listener supported and has two channels, one for sacred music and the other for talk, including news, current issues, politics and spiritual matters from a Lutheran perspective. Hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken, Issues, Etc. airs live Monday thru Friday from 1 to 3 pm Pacific, with the “Best Of” running at other hours: https://lutheranpublicradio.org/

KFUO is the listener supported radio station owned and operated by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Based in St. Louis, their format consists of teaching, preaching, ministry and sacred music: https://www.kfuo.org/

 A very blessed Wednesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us.